SOTD 25 April-1 May 2021

April 28, 2021
Yates 921 H Plate
Feather
Omega Evo
Arran Lochranza
Thayer’s Aftershave Balm
Guerlain Habit Rouge EdT

SOTD WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 28, 2021

This morning’s shave featured my Feather DX loaded with a Feather Super and the Karve Christopher Bradley safety razor. The LE MrEE Aluminum handle fitted with a SynBad knot whipped up gobs of MWF goodness. The DX cleared away my mug stubble in three luxurious passes leaving a glassy smooth mug. I realized that this little barber’s razor is my benchmark for all my straight razor honing purely in level of sharpness.  

The styrofoam peanut test, developed by my friend Bill (@Edison Carter), works well for me. The razor’s weight alone when loaded with a new Feather Super blade easily pops through the surface of the peanut. My Parkinson’s makes Lynn Abram’s thumb test of edge readiness, used by many, unworkable for me, But this one works for me. I know my bevel is set when it pops like the Feather Super along the length of the blade. It also helps isolate those sections of the edge requiring more work.

The Karve was my first modern artisan purchase after a half century with the Schick Krona. The razor is just splendid. A solid piece of CNC design engineering. Most of my DE safety razors are vintage, with the Gillette New LC and Standard models representing my benchmark for excellence in DE safety razor design. I’ve owned many modern artisan DE safety razors, but I’ve kept only three in my regular rotation, this Karve, the Colonial Silversmith, and the Feather AS-D2. Two Karve passes left me with a velveteen smooth noggin. The PAA Frost Byte capped another great shave and left me feeling refreshed, clean, cool, and oh-so-smooth.

RAZOR: Feather DX (Mug), Karve Christopher Bradley Safety Razor (Dome)
BLADES: Feather Super (Mug), Feather DE (Dome)
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a scrub with Argan Oil 
BRUSH: MrEE LE Aluminum Handle #005 with 24mm SynBad Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat 
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with PAA Frost Byte AS Splash.

SOTD: Nice easy mid-week shave - hope everyone is doing well!

Wednesday, April 28
Pre: Cold Water
Soap: Home mix of VDR-Mysore Sandal-GD Maleki
Brush: Paladin Moe in Tigris Perla (dubbed “Stinky Too” in honor of the stinky seller I got this brush from)
Bowl: Captain’s Choice Ceramic
Razor: Karve CB Copper with “D” plate
Blade: Permasharp (7)
Post: Cera Ve lotion and then just a dab of Ethos Mysore Santal Skin Food Splash (for scent)
Three Passes; DFS-BBS

A very nice shave.  Thankfully, “Stinky Too” no longer stinks.  Now it smells like this wonderful soap mix.  Plus, both this brush and this soap just keep getting better.  I’ve been using a very similar setup for some days now and am growing to like the great shaving Karve “D” plate.  The copper is beautiful to look at, but very eager to tarnish.  Using a consistent gear setup from day to day seems to promote deeper appreciation for each particular shave, by drawing focus from the gear.  A pleasant “new dimension in shaving” as the Ad Men might be inclined to say ....

Happy Shaves to the Gentlemen

Wednesday, April 28

Fine L'Orange Noir~~Simpson H4 SiLVERTiP~~Fatip Lo Storto/Spoiler~~Terre d'Hermès Parfum
Have a great day!

4/28/2021 SOTD:
Barrister and Mann Seville (cratered)
Timeless Titanium .68SB
Astra SP (1)
Semogue 830
Captains Choice Bowl

Wednesday AM 2021-04-28
Mutiny on HMS Bounty on this date, 1789


Rooney 1/1 Faux Horn Finest (22/45)
Floris No. 89 shaving cream
LASSC BBS-1/UFO Titan Fine
Gillette Super Stainless 'Spoiler' (2)
Floris No. 89 aftershave (vintage)

Wolfman WR1 61 Antique Bronze Head on WRH3/7 Stainless - Wizamet - Chubby 2 Ebony Manchurian - Grooming Dept Tao